invoicing help? advice from the businessmen/women sparks

[Haworth]

Not sure if it’s any help; I use QuickBooks and my accountants have access to the parts they need. All receipts are electronically stored as are invoices - which QuickBooks can generate and keep track of. As a sole trader I find it great!!

 

[The Ghost]

To answer your question regards content on the invoice. It annoys me to see an invoice that says just parts and labour and a total. I want a breakdown of the labour costs and the materials (itemised) listed with the cost. That way I know what I am paying for. As I expect this I accordingly afford the client/customer the same courtesy and state the hours or days worked and the cost of each unit multiplied by the amount. Then I list the materials and the cost for all the major items. So they can go around and measure how much conduit I put in or sockets/switches and see if that tallies if they are of a mind to. Fiddly and time consuming, yes but then I like to be diligent and transparent but that's just me.

 

[Tyrone Thompson]

To answer your question regards content on the invoice. It annoys me to see an invoice that says just parts and labour and a total. I want a breakdown of the labour costs and the materials (itemised) listed with the cost. That way I know what I am paying for. As I expect this I accordingly afford the client/customer the same courtesy and state the hours or days worked and the cost of each unit multiplied by the amount. Then I list the materials and the cost for all the major items. So they can go around and measure how much conduit I put in or sockets/switches and see if that tallies if they are of a mind to. Fiddly and time consuming, yes but then I like to be diligent and transparent but that's just me.

I respect your opinion but I think it can be limiting in terms of mark up etc, some clients would compare the price to materials online, maybe even question you on individual prices

 

[telectrix]

i use quickfile. all invoices and purchases entered. end of year quickfile does your profit/loss account for taxman.

 

[The Ghost]

in terms of mark up

As I say "transparent" I am happy for the customer to know that I put a mark up on goods I convey to them. I have no reticence about that. I even tell them I am putting a mark up on the goods supplied. This has never been a problem. They usually still get it at a better price than comparisons online.
I am perfectly clear that my time in researching and physically getting goods delivered on site is my time and petrol/diesel, tax, MOT and insurance which as a business I would not contemplate delivering for free. Most customers are perfectly ok with that and appreciate those costs as well as the transparency.

 

[andyb]

You must put a mark-up on materials, for the reasons that Vortigern says but also as a guarantee for the parts installed. If you're supplying parts that fail the client will expect these replaced for free, you need to cover for that.

I disagree with Vortigen however re itemising invoices, the example given by the op was quoted for. So, I’d just put, for electrical work as per my quote dated ---- £80.00
Of course, if I had not quoted I’d give an invoice with labour and materials, the break down on materials will depend on the amount.